The IRS and the Sugar Plum fairy

The IRS help line yesterday was playing Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker Suite” over and over and over. And again and again and again for procrastinators like me who were waiting on hold.

For 45 minutes I had visions of the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Mouse King. And I had lots of time to consider the significance of the word “nutcracker,” as well as who at the IRS would have chosen this, of all classical songs.

Just when I was contemplating adult ballet classes or suicide, someone nice answered the phone. But they transferred me to another line, where I was told by a pleasant computer that told me that call volume was particularly high for my question (one about e-filing woes) and to call back the next business day.

Then I got disconnected.

Thankfully, I had already mailed in my return the old fashioned way. So I thought this was funny, even though I will have the holiday tune in my head for the next several weeks. Merry Christmas to all who were stuck on hold with the IRS yesterday!